Meet Fernanda Froes | Visual Artist & Stationery Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fernanda Froes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fernanda, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I pursued a creative career because visual art and natural history are my passion since I was very young. I grew up in Rio, Brazil, surrounded by the exuberant tropical forest. My inspiration comes from natural science. I illustrate and create handmade sustainable stationery products that carry a Brazilian soul. I believe that my goal as an artist is creating awareness of environmental preservation by highlighting the often overlooked beauty and secrets of nature.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am passionate about visual arts. I love exploring ancient handcraft techniques like engraving, calligraphy, bookbinding, and blending them with digital illustration. I like to apply these techniques to create new and unique stationery products. What sets Nina Write apart from most other companies in our area is our focus on the client as an individual. Products are all handmade, meaning that no piece we sell will be exactly the same as another. Each card is carefully made and designed to have a meaning and concept, no pattern will be selected at random. It was not easy in the beginning. Before graduating in Product and Graphic Design from UERJ (Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro), I applied for an internship in Mc Cann Erickson Rio, where I worked for seven years as an art director. I worked for three more years in advertising, where I learned to work with multidisciplinary teams, different media, big clients, and deadlines. That was my real school. After my daughter was born, I quit the Ad environment and became a freelance designer. I worked from home, providing design services for ad agencies. At that time, I felt that I needed to explore new ways outside the corporative world. I learned bookbinding, calligraphy, and foil engraving. At that moment, I found out that I wanted to work with art and paper. I created a collaborative atelier with friends that provided personalized stationery and bookbinding products to direct clients and small companies. In 2013, I founded Nina Write, a company that manufactures and sells exclusive stationery products with a naturalistic style and Brazilian soul. Now, Nina Write has an office in Rio with seven employees, is present in 15 points of sale in Brazil, and since 2019 started selling online through e-commerce and Instagram. We work in partnership with different artists and companies. I believe that we need to be collaborative and open to the world to develop and grow. I also think that we must keep in constant movement and never stop learning, working, and pursuing our dream. What sets Nina Write apart from most other companies in our area is our focus on the client as an individual. Products are all handmade, meaning that no piece we sell will be exactly the same as another. Each piece is carefully made and designed to have a meaning and concept behind it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Miami Eat: Mandolin – Aegean Bistro Fiola – Italian Restaurant Seaspice – Seafood Zuma – Japanese Casa Tua Italian Drink: Sugar Rooftop Kiki on the River Amara at Paraiso Visit: Vizcaya Museum & Gardens Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science Deering Estate Everglades National Park Winwood Walls Hang out & Stay Soho House Miami Design District Boat trip to Elliot Key

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am thankful to Adriana Lerner – Arrivals Gate for the partnership with Nina Write: Powerful Together. I am also grateful and proud of Nina Write’s talented team and partners that make our company develop so well, even in these uncertain and challenging times we are going through.

Website: https://www.ninawrite.com
Instagram: @nina_write
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ninawritepapelaria

Image Credits
product images: Pedro Ferreira interior of the store images: Mariana Perri all other images: personal archive